Delaney thrown a Villa lifeline

MARTIN O'Neill will leave the door open for Mark Delaney to win himself a new contract at the club, making it clear that the Welsh international will be given all the assistance he needs to make a comeback.

MARTIN O'Neill will leave the door open for Mark Delaney to win himself a new contract at the club, making it clear that the Welsh international will be given all the assistance he needs to make a comeback.

The 30-year-old full-back underwent knee surgery in the United States last month and will be out for at least the next three months.

He is due back in America to see surgeon Richard Steadman next week for a check-up, when he will be hoping to get the all-clear to begin his recuperation.

Delaney is out of contract at the end of the season and is concerned that his eight-year stint at the club could be nearing its conclusion.

Just as in Chris Sutton's case, O'Neill will give both players the best opportunity to win new deals.

He said: "I will rule absolutely nothing out because I am not in the position to do so. I would prefer to see what happens.

"In terms of his rehabilitation I would like to think that, even if it goes beyond his contract, that we would be pretty receptive to anything Mark wants to do here.

"I wouldn't want the issue to be a major concern to him at this moment - this rushing to get fit because your contract ends on the June 30, or whatever.

"He is in a position, he knows himself, that he falls within that strange time element where probably he will be fit by the time his contract expires. I have told Mark not to worry too much about trying to break deadlines and then we'll see where we are."

O'Neill has got a lot of time for Delaney and he also has a great empathy with the defender.

He, himself, had to retire from the game early in February 1985 when he was advised not to have an operation on his knee in a bid to make it to the 1986 World Cup.

But he saw it buckle after a short stint at Chesterfield while playing in a testimonial against Manchester United for Cambridge.

"Mark is still on crutches but he's pretty pleased with the way things have gone," added O'Neill. "All the signs are positive and he is in a very positive frame of mind."

Delaney was on the bench against Newcastle in August but has ultimately paid the price for a ligament injury he picked up against Manchester City in the FA Cup exactly a year ago tonight. O'Neill can understand Delaney's fears about his future.

"I have been there myself as a player with an injury and a contract running out," he said. "He has his own frustrations at the injuries which are debilitating.